2 Thessalonians 3

http://www.esvbible.org/2+Thessalonians+3/

Paul then asks the Thessalonians to pray for him. He wants the to pray that he continues to spread the Good News and that the people he teaches receive it as favorably as the Thessalonians did. Also, he asks them to pray for God to deliver them from evil worthless people because if he gets stuck talking to people controlled by the enemy and who refuse to be saved, he is losing time talking to those who need to hear from him. Paul says that the Lord gives them confidence that the Thessalonians are doing and will continue to live God-centered lives. He just reminds them of a quick note. Paul and his followers always worked for their keep. They helped out in the community they lived in supplementary to their teachings. When they had done work, they allowed themselves to eat. They also never ate without praying first. SUPER IMPORTANT! Pray before you partake in food. It can be tough to remember at first, but it will eventually become second nature. Paul urges the Thessalonians to live as a community with a rule that anyone who did not work does not eat. In fact, some of the Thessalonians were not working, but instead they interfered in the work of others. Paul is baffled at how someone who does not do their own work can stand around and criticize the work of others. Paul tells them to do their own work and leave others to their own work. If anyone has trouble, they should be left out, but not as an enemy, but in a lesson as you would give a sibling.

Paul ends his letter in his own handwriting. He says he does this so that the people will know that he truly authored the letter. At the time, as we have seen from his other letters, people were giving false teachings about Christianity, and since Paul truly was the Lord's servant, everyone knew they could trust what he had to say.